


Sacrifice and Silence

by Erwin_Smith



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, F/M, Rivetra Week, Rivetra Week Day 1, rivetra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 16:19:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13574268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erwin_Smith/pseuds/Erwin_Smith
Summary: Being in a relationship while in the Survey Corps was always going to be a big sacrifice. A big sacrifice filled with silence.





	Sacrifice and Silence

**Author's Note:**

> For once I am sorta on time with a prompt. Don't know if it will be the same case for the other prompts concerning Rivetra Week, but here 'ya go!
> 
> I tried to catch/fix as many mistakes as I could. I hope I caught them all. Apologies if I missed any.
> 
> Enjoy!

Joining the Survey Corps was the ultimate sacrifice. Countless people offered up their hearts for humanity and joined in on eliminating the titans. Those who were fortunate to come back from missions had their stories to tell of the horrific deaths of their fellow comrades. Deaths of those who they were the closest to.

But being in a relationship while in the Survey Corps was a sacrifice some were willing to make. The world was a cruel place, its allies the titans and cruel people that inhabited it. The soldiers didn’t know when they were going to die. They couldn’t bear the thought that when they did, they were going to leave their partner behind. Others couldn’t bear the thought that they could die without telling the person they admired the most that they had feelings for them. Those who did say something would hope or pray that they’d come back safely. That was all they could do anyway. Missions were dangerous. Titans were unpredictable.

For Levi Ackerman and Petra Ral it was a different story. They were both strong. Levi, humanity’s strongest. Petra, handpicked by humanity’s strongest himself. He saw the potential in the young woman when her training squad graduated from the Cadets. Her and her three closest friends graduated in the top ten of their class. Strength meant nothing, though. Not when soldiers were going up against the titans. No matter how strong the soldiers were all it took was one little slip up—just a tiny mistake—and they could end up between the jaws of a titan or crushed by their hands or feet. Petra and Levi were only human and bound to make a costly mistake one day. Their strength wouldn’t be enough to protect them from any small mistake on the battlefield that could suddenly occur while they were surrounded by titans.

~*~*~*~

_“I don’t want to wait another moment, Levi. I can’t spend forever waiting until the titans are finally defeated before I can share my feelings with you,”_ _Petra had burst out saying._ Levi remembered the way Petra’s cheeks flushed red when she said that. It happened one late night a year after Levi’s squad was formed. Petra wrote a note asking him to meet her in the stables that night to which he took up the offer. Levi began to admire her as well around then. He admired her strength, her bravery, her personality. He admired how she would take charge and keep her head held high no matter the circumstance. She didn’t let anything stand in her way. Having their relationship in the midst of a war against the titans was a sacrifice they were willing to make.

Tomorrow was the 57th expedition beyond the walls. Erwin’s motive behind the mission was to plot a new course from the Karanese District in the east of the fallen Shiganshina District. Erwin also was suspicious…

“He thinks that there is a spy among the military.” Levi interrupted his thoughts abruptly. Thoughts of the mission were coming in like thick rain clouds. “Someone that can turn into a titan like Eren.”

“I know,” Petra said lightly. She squeezed Levi’s hand. Their fingers were lightly laced together while they sat under an oak tree. The sun was starting to set. They didn’t have much more time out there. Getting to bed early and getting enough rest was important to the mission. “What’s going to happen tomorrow?”

“We’ll get that route that he wanted. We’ll all survive. If Erwin’s suspicions are true, we’ll catch ourselves a spy and interrogate the shit out of them before we dispose of them to Shitty Goatee and the Military Police.”

Petra shifted uneasily under the tree. She swallowed thickly. Levi felt her hand shaking in his. If Erwin was right and there was another titan shifter living amongst them and spying on them, would they be able to take it down? And at what cost? How many lives were going to be lost to a traitor? What if the traitor got away? The questions ate away at her mind. A shaky breath escaped her. “What if—”

“Hey… stop that,” Levi mumbled and turned toward her. He let go of her hand and placed his on her cheek, turning her so she could look at him. “Whatever negative thoughts you’re thinking right now, let go of them. I know you’re scared. Many others are too. You’ll survive. I’ll survive. Our squad and friends are going to survive. Erwin knows what he’s doing. His battle plans are unlike any other Commanders. Trust him. Trust me. Trust us.” He caressed her cheek and pressed his forehead against hers. “We’ve offered up our hearts countless times for the sake of humanity and its freedom. We have the wings on our back. Don’t be let down. Don’t let yourself be consumed by doubt.”

“Don’t die,” Petra whispered as Levi moved forward. She met him halfway and was met by his soft, cooled lips. She tasted the familiar taste of herbs on him, something she had grown accustomed to. Her eyes closed as Levi’s other hand found its way into her beautiful, shiny amber hair. His fingers slowly combed through it, sending small shivers down the woman’s spine. She instinctively moved closer to Levi, needing more of his warmth. She grabbed a fistful of his jacket and held onto it tightly as if Levi was going to disappear. Levi rubbed her cheek reassuringly as if he could read her thoughts.

When their lungs reminded them that it was time to breathe, the duo panted lightly while gazing into each other’s opened eyes. Tomorrow was unavoidable, but they had each other right now. That was all that mattered.

~*~*~*~

Silence.

It was all Levi heard. His mind blocked out the citizens who gathered to watch the Survey Corps’s return trip. Inspired children were happy. Assholes complained. Citizens with much more respect were thankful that the casualties were dwindled under Erwin.

_ You’ll survive. _

Levi’s chest ached, but he kept pushing forward. The pain in his ankle was no match to the fandom pains in his chest. The pains of regret that he wasn’t there. He was supposed to have no regrets. He—

A man quickly approached Levi, snapping his thoughts. The man’s words filled his mind. “Captain Levi! She told me she intended to devote herself to you completely. I don’t think she understands how worried that makes me! As her father, I think it is still too early for her to think about marriage…”

_ Marriage. _

Everything fell into silence once more. His ears rang and he struggled to breathe for a moment, let alone keep his face neutral. He couldn’t stop his eyes from growing wide as he kept his head down to avoid the gazes of anyone. He was sure the man was still talking, but he couldn’t focus on anything but one person: Petra’s stained face, unfocused honey brown eyes gazing lifelessly up at the trees.

One of the few people who meant the world to him was gone. In her place came silence. He couldn’t face her father right now. The pain was too strong. The silence that was being forced into him was too strong. There was nothing he could say or do.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and lots of comments/feedback are always greatly appreciated! Even if it's a simple response!
> 
> Tumblr: [commander-erwin-smith](http://commander-erwin-smith.tumblr.com)


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